


What Flirting Is Paid In.

by bloodstuffedoreos



Category: Welcome to Hell - All Media Types
Genre: Feels, M/M, Rape/Non-con Elements, Running Away, Sad, a bit nsfw maybe, but not much i promise, hinted to smut, literally everyone wants sock, mm dat ass, no real smut tho, sockathan - Freeform, why does no one ship Meph & Sock goddamn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-11
Updated: 2016-05-20
Packaged: 2018-04-25 23:21:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 8
Words: 2,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4980607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bloodstuffedoreos/pseuds/bloodstuffedoreos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sock is a fun ball of energy who flirts once too often with Jonathan. Jon is a little too keen on this.<br/>Mephistopheles is really not keen on this, and requests that Sock comes to his office the minute his shift ends. Sock has no idea what he wants.<br/>After that unofficial meeting, Sock has trouble figuring out what to do anymore.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Superiors and Punishment

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like the only Mephi/Sock shipper but well okay.  
> I have wanted to write this for a while, so here goes! Please don't shoot me.  
> Xxx

"If you didn't want me so close then why are you leaning in~?" Sock was hovering a ways off the floor, looking up at the human he was so attached to.  
Said human was slightly hunched over, staring down at Sock. He was right. That damn kid was almost always right. "I'm not, you're just really annoyingly close."  
Jonathan stepped away, sighing silently as he stepped to the stairs. Sock leaned against the fridge, falling into it after a second. He floated over to the half-upstairs blonde, grinning like a Cheshire cat whilst leaning his chin against his palms in a manner one would when pretending to be interested in a boring lecture -- only Sock was so very incredibly interested in Jonathan.  
"Where are you goin', hot stuff?"  
"I'm going to have a shower. Can you just leave me alone?" Jonathan was clearly given Sock's unenthusiasm, groaning and mumbling.  
"Can't I join you~?" Jonathan was just about ready to swat Sock right out of the air.  
"No." As he cradled the side of his face, Jonathan left for the bathroom. Sock's huge grin only died a tiny bit, but when Jonathan emerged from the shower, steam billowing around when he opened the door, the irritating demon was gone.

•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

"Ah! Sock!"  
"You, er, said to come see you, Mephistopheles?" Sock stood at the doorway of the barely decorated room that was Mephistopheles's office.  
"Yeah, yeah. Come in, and close that door, will ya?"  
And so he did. There was a click that came a second too late, reminiscent of a door locking. Sock quietly jiggled the handle behind his back. That was indeed the door locking.  
"So I've noticed you're getting rather attached to the guy, Sock." Mephi was in a wheely chair, one leg crossed over the dangling one and both hands on the topmost knee.  
"What? No I'm not! Mephist-"  
Suddenly, Mephistopheles was all up in Sock's business the way he would be bothering Jon right now. Only Sock was slightly scared and against the wall.  
"Yes, you are," The taller walked away briskly, hands visible to Sock as they stayed behind his back. The more oddly dressed of the two took a step away from the wall. "Now, I can't have you making... Jeffrey, is it? happy or in love or anything like that. You have literally one job -- one purpose, Sock. And you still don't seem to get it."  
"But I'm just-" Sock began to protest, holding out a hand in indication of "look I have a plan".  
"Over here, Sowachowski." Mephistopheles leaned slightly to the right, indicating for Sock to get over by the desk he had recently strode to.  
"Uh, okay." Sock floated over, only to be pinned to the desk by his wrists, and a knee jammed between his own. He writhed against him, but couldn't even get the bugger to shift slightly.  
"I guess one way to solve this is to clearly mark my territory here."  
"Stop,"  
"Shut up." Mephistopheles pulled down Sock's scarf, and bit down on the flesh newly presented.  
By the third time, Sock was literally asking for it.


	2. Friendship and Blurred Lines

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sock's trying to hide the events of last night, but a fateful after school snack ruins his plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to thank Spotify for playing the song I wanted. Uma Thurman was great to hear.  
> I'm still sorry for this. Really so so sorry

Jonathan was looking in the fridge, Sock was poking his head down from the top of it. Jon closed the fridge, and the red fabric covering Sock's neck got stuck. As he pulled, it started to shift around his throat, before it exposed most of the flesh with all the twisting and turning. Some form of fabric burn had reddened the skin, but that didn't detract from the marks, the breaks in skin that were so obvious even now.  
"Sock. What are those?"  
"What are what, Jonathan~?" He finally slipped free, flying backwards a bit with the momentum of all his tugging. Sock landed quite happily in Jon's arms, who quickly dropped the demon.   
"On your neck."  
Napoleon's mouth fell slack, exposing just the smallest slither of white, and his energetic orbs turned worried, stressed, even.  
"N-nothing."  
"Who?"  
"I told you, nothing happened!" Sock darted back, offended.  
"Sock, I know something happened. I'm not stupid." Jonathan grabbed Sock's shoulder, surprised when his hands found solidity, not plain nothingness. From what he'd found, if the demon wanted the touch enough, it was possible, else Sock was just as ghostly as, well, a dead person. "Tell me, or I'll force it out of you."  
"Like you can do that, I'm no-"  
Whatever Sock was about to say was lost in the other male's lips, in his mouth, in his moan.  
Sock pushed him off, wiping his mouth on his arm, albeit reluctantly. If Mephistopheles was watching, well, he was definitely not up for a lecture, or a repeat of last night.  
He mumbled the name of the man who had teased his skin so, enough that Jonathan would just have to deeply dwell on what Sock had said if he wanted any idea of the name of his lover from the night passed.  
"That was uncalled for." Sock retreated, through the wall.   
"Yeah? So was all the flirting if you won't follow up."  
Sock felt a pang of guilt. He'd bug Jonathan later, but they both definitely needed space. Otherwise, well, he'd just end up prolonging the time he could be a nuisance to the guy.  
Jonathan, meanwhile, ran up to his room and slammed the door, Sock remaining downstairs for now.   
The human was balled up on his bed, mentally kicking himself for believing anything that dumb kid said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might go ahead and write a side fic to accompany this with all the left out bits but I don't know, really.  
> When Jon said "What are those" it almost killed me okay  
> whAT ARE THOOOOOSE


	3. Hugs and Shivers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hell froze over.  
> Well, no it didn't, they just turned off the heating so they could do more renovatory stuff.  
> (That's not even a word, is it?)  
> Sock's cold. Meph's office is colder.

"So, Sock, how's your week been this time?"  
They'd cut off the heating in Hell. And the flames. And the pretty much everything.  
It was the weekend - Saturday, mid-evening to be precise, and Sock was somewhat unwillingly bundled up in Mephistopheles's lap, in the familiar office.  
"Well, y'know... Week-y."  
"Oh." Meph rested his head on Sock's, sighing a bit. "That bad, huh?"  
"I could go hang with Jonathan and be a lot less cold right now." Napoleon shivered for effect, burrowing yet further into Meph's chest.  
"It's not a work day for you. I-I think." He narrowed his eyes, trying to work out exactly what day of the week it was.  
"I guess you're right... I'm bored. And cold." Sock groaned, balling up his legs to his chest. He could have sworn he saw steam coming from his lips.  
"If you're bored you could go arrange some files or something. I mean, they're endless. Or you could sit and watch this place freeze over."  
"It's not actually that cold, Mephistopheles."   
"Then stop complaining." To be perfectly honest, Mephistopheles was pretty bored, too. He just wasn't complaining like the wriggling demon in his lap. "...Sock?"  
He stopped continuously moving, although still moved enough to rotate himself so he faced the taller. "Yeah?"  
Mephistopheles leaned down, slightly. Capturing Sock's lips in a kiss, similar to what Jonathan had done not too long ago. As always, Mephistopheles knew. He knew full well that Sock kinda wanted the kiss, too, so this was partially actually I-like-you kissing and partially I'm-sorry-what-did-you-do? kissing.   
Arms all wrapped around each other, Mephistopheles broke away, before hugging Sock closer.   
"Sorry you're cold, Sowachowski."


	4. Smothering and Loneliness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sock has emotions and yeah stuff happens (TITLE)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspiration for this fic is my icon kthnxbye
> 
> Also I was planning to write something for my fav. day of the year but I didn't whoops
> 
> I probably would have specified a date for this piece but I'm British not American so I figured that it'd just be a nothing day.

Sock shook his head, curling himself up tightly in the air. He felt uncomfortable. Used. As if in Jonathan's reluctance to damn just kill himself, there was a battle between Mephistopheles and the teen, only that it was played out over Sock. On Sock.  
In Sock's skin.

He held himself tighter, arms vices around his legs, fireworks shooting behind his eyes as the lidded jelly orbs were pushed down, squished by his kneecaps.  
At least until Jonathan walked around the door.

"Hey, Sock, how you doin'?"  
Days off school were usually fun, but today just wasn't the mood. Still, Sock immediately grinned, throwing an arm around his shoulders, slightly surprised when his arm didn't just phase through Jon's body and leave the human shivering. "Oh, juuuust great," He paused, narrowing his eyes as he thought silently for a short second, before perking right back up again. "Y'know, today's a great day to kill yourself!"  
Jon rolled his eyes, groaning quietly, then jumping slightly as Sock's ghostly limb fell straight through him. He just left the way he had come, and Sock stared out the front door. Mixed emotions flooded him again, and he sighed, hovering off elsewhere.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

Jonathan listened to his headphones.  
Jonathan did his homework.  
Jonathan unloaded the dishwasher.  
Jonathan read a chapter of a novel.  
Jonathan loaded the dishwasher.  
Jonathan curled up on the sofa with his book again.  
Jonathan wasn't bothered by Sock. In fact, he hadn't seen much of him.   
Where the Hell was he?

Jon got up, leaving his book, starting to search the house. Sock wasn't under or in the bed; the closet was clear too.  
He didn't find any trace of the demon in the bathroom or.. Anywhere. The kitchen was empty and everything was in its place, the living room was triple checked, the hallway was more bare than the Sahara... So, where was Sock?

Jonathan threw on a jacket and walked outside, locking the door.

The funny thing is, Mephistopheles was wondering the same thing.


	5. Alienation and Transparency

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sock? Yeah, Sock.  
> The kid left, perfectly cool with everything. He seemed to forget a few details, though.  
> 1) It was the middle of winter  
> 2) No one could see or hear him

Napoleon was just walking. He was walking fast, and walking to no where. He hated this, he hated his existence, and he hated how he was treated.  
Like some kind of livestock.

Sock shivered. His skin was paler than usual, cheeks and nose snow-dabbed a light rose. He didn't notice the weather, only how inconvenient his numb legs were. He stowed his hands in his pockets, and let out a sigh, gathered in vapour and carried out to the heavens.

Sock had gotten onto a bus. The driver didn't notice him so he figured he'd just sit near the back and hide, rather than try to make himself a problem. About three other people were on the bus. Christmas shoppers and visitors. He was neither.

Sock swayed his legs gently, almost kicking the seat in front. He'd been so wrapped up in all these issues, he hadn't thought to remember that he was, y'know, dead.  
He leaned his head against the window, sighing. His shoulders sagged and the glass gathered more steam than before. 

It was a while later that the bus stopped somewhere Sock deemed to be far away enough for him to get off. This was a running away plan, of course. He looked around. The place was kinda run down and shabby, but plenty of clearly non-locals peered around street corners and checked into hotels.  
Sock was going to do the same.

He checked this new place in more detail, the peeling paint of the buildings staring at him, and the occasional gaggle of rowdy, perhaps best described as undesirable women and men, no older than 40 in the former, 20 in the latter, laughed and staggered their way down the streets, leaving Sock feeling compelled to step away as quickly as possible.  
Grass grew between cracked pavement slabs and there were just far too many neon signs. Was this a city?  
Maybe.

Sock nodded, starting towards the first B&B type place he saw. He had asked for directions at least twice, but he supposed that everyone was too busy, at least, to notice him. He did look like a kid, after all.  
Upon opening the door, a buzzer sounded. The person at the desk scowled at the door. Not Sock, the door.  
Was he invisible to these people?!  
Napoleon shrugged. He was kinda short. No, that's a lie. He's at least five foot five.  
Not that short.

Sock walked up to the desk, about to speak.  
Then he remembered why this person hadn't seen him and why no one helped and why the bus driver hadn't even batted an eyelash.  
He actually WAS invisible.

He took a shaken breath.  
"I can make something good out of this, for sure."  
Totally.


	6. Memories and Thumbs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jonathan flicks through some old photos, new photos, and some other stuff.

Jonathan pulled out his phone. It was one in the morning and he was freezing. The screen glared at him in the dark and he had to squint his eyes.   
He put in his passcode, and pressed on Photos. He went straight to the oldest ones in his Camera Roll. Jon smiled, sitting up as his cold fingers crossed the screen over and over, emotions flitting across his mind and he forgot about the troubles of today. Of every day. Just the good bits, fun bits, exciting bits. All the bits you'd want to preserve as a picture on a handheld device to have any time you might need to forget a stressful day.

Old turned kinda old, turned new. Selfies with Sock, just pictures of him, sometimes reading or looking at something in his hand. Those photos tended to show a different side to Sock. The way he sat with his head hung, knee to his chest while the other leg stretched over the floorboards, back all pressed against the walls. They looked like you could put some kind of black and white filter over them and some emo quotes or something. Only, Jonathan knew he was just being calm, that he just wasn't used to it.

He shrugged, putting his phone on the side. He jammed in the charger then turned away from it, not particularly looking forward to the prospects of tomorrow, or, rather, today.

•~•~•~•~•~•~•

Sock lifted lamps, turned on taps, removed items and replaced items with other things. He decided floating and being invisible was useful for something; haunting the B&Bs around town. He kinda liked it.  
He'd go back soon. Just needed to clear his head. He said that every night, but the next morning he was already writing things on steamed up mirrors and dumping the contents of branded makeup bags on the floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am super dedicated to this I swear cuz I'm actually thinking about the plot and I'm not actually very well right now. Jeez   
> Ily ♥


	7. Realisation and Resolution

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeah, i know. "le gasp bloody is still alive and theyve written another chapter!!"  
> fun fact; im depressed and have no motivation! haha, fun times. also tumblr takes up 90% of the time spent not dying so :\\\\\  
> Sock is my way of dumping emotion bc i am actually him irl i am sock and doesnt everyone know it eheheheheh

Mephistopheles grumbled. He couldn't get any kind of update on that damned demon.  
Well maybe 'damned' isn't quite the right term. Try annoying. Elusive. Dumb. Crazy. Idiotic. Cute.  
Cute- did Mephi just think 'CUTE'?! That was embarrassing and no one was even reading his mind.

He sighed, leaning his head on his desk. Sock would come back. Or he'd have it in for him.  
Y'know.  
Later.

\---

Slowly, Sock pried out a bobby pin from a woman's hair. And another. And another - suddenly it all fell down and she gasped, rising from where she was sitting with her date. Sock giggled, lying back in the air, soon laughing hard.  
He loved this.

Later in the evening, he found himself suddenly so unexpectedly upset. He didn't have the motivation to even cry. He just stood there, a sudden wave of emotion over him.  
He tried to laugh with himself, at himself, but nothing cured the indescribable pain resonating within him.  
The demon just felt so alone.  
The one person who he could talk to and not feel sick, who cared for him despite it all, and he'd left.  
And in fact, it'd taken a while to see that Jonathan truly was the only one who gave a damn, even if he didn't show it.  
Now came the self blaming and self loathing that always does come with these unfortunate eureka moments.  
And he just fell. 

\---

"Jonathan. Jonatha-"  
It was that serious, bleak tone that woke up the slumbering human. It'd been forever since he'd seen the demon. He presumed it to be a dream.  
Jon grabbed Sock into a hug, tight, unending, immortal, something else with a similar meaning to convey humour despite the situation and how it is unfolding.  
Sock eagerly hugged back, crying just a bit (a whole lot) into Jonathan's shoulder. It wouldn't be wrong to suggest Jon cried a bit too.  
"Hey, Sock."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> btw this will probably finish next time so i dont feel obligated any more
> 
> suggest stuff!! ill be writing one shots/ short 2-5 chapter fanfics for you guys because i love you that much  
> also i have no inspiration
> 
> I'll write from these and probably more universes:  
> welcome to hell  
> undertale (and its aus)  
> homestuck (^)  
> borderlands  
> portal  
> steven universe  
> tokyo ghoul maybe  
> glitter force/smile precure!  
> fable  
> adventure time  
> star wars maybe  
> monster high  
> also i missed a lot because of my really bad memory so feel free to suggest stuff


	8. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to wrap it all up. Like a tortilla filled with nails, we're going to act as if it's all okay due to the wheaty goodness surrounding our deliciously metallic and sharp interior!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been a pleasure to write. It's grown way more popular than I'd expect.  
> My writing is to the point, I'm not fancy. I always thought I wouldn't fit in here, and surprisingly I'm not doing too bad! All the people who leave kudos, thanks, and all you guys who leave comments; wow, you're legitimately Angels and I love you so mu ch holy Christ all of you are so wonderful.
> 
> I'll start a new piece soon, along with some drabbles. Please, I swear I can write happy stuff haaaa ;w;
> 
> It's been great.

They'd slept together that night. Not like that, just clutching onto each other as they drifted off. Jon was uneasy, unsure, but Sock insisted, snuggling right up to him, head under the human's chin and arms tight around Jon's waist. He hugged him back, another immortal embrace.   
Jon didn't sleep at first, that thought hanging in his mind.  
Eventually, he did sleep of course. Quietly telling himself that someone would have to look after Sock, that he'd be scared forever, that he'd be so so scared for so so long and that he, himself, was the one thing he had to clutch to, the one thing that made sense to Sock, that would keep that demon... Safe... It was a-  
No, Jon couldn't commit to that. Then Sock rolled over, letting go of him. He seemed uncomfortable, and Jon reached behind him and gave the pillow supporting his head to Sock, and he hugged onto it gratefully, in a deep, calm sleep.  
Jonathan left the room, returning about thirty five minutes later, clinging onto the demon again.

An immortal embrace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to get it out there that my best friend has had a similar experience to Sock in this fan fiction, and I have been her Jon as much as I could. I'm not alone in that, many people can likely relate to the situation that the two have been through.  
> I killed off Jon because I would have done that, if I had the balls to. He's dead for poetry, for realism and because he had an obligation. He loves Sock, and he couldn't leave him to fend for himself.
> 
> An immortal embrace is all Sock could ask for, I guess. And it's the most, too. 
> 
> Sorry about that ramble, this fic has helped me process things.


End file.
